This invention relates in general to fish dressing and, more particularly, to certain new and useful improvements in a device for retaining a fish for filleting.
Heretofore, numerous expedients have been attempted for maintaining a fish in relatively stable condition during dressing thereof and particularly for steaking or filleting. However, such previous attempts have uniformly incorporated positive gripping components, such as clamps and the like, for effecting a secure hold upon the fish to inhibit displacement during the dressing operation. Devices incorporating clamps for engaging the tail of the fish are exemplified by the Gaultney U.S. Pat. No. 2,795,814 and Bowe U.S. Pat. No. 1,438,091, while the Thornton U.S. Pat. No. Re. 24,194 embodies clamps for engaging both the head and the tail of the fish so as to place a longitudinal tension thereon. A further expedient is shown in the Snead U.S. Pat. No. 3,727,269 wherein the combination of a clip for engaging the head and a plurality of prongs for partial penetration of the fish tail are utilized. An additional concept is demonstrated by the Engle U.S. Pat. No. 2,913,760 wherein a template for fully enclosing the fish within a defined compartment is utilized and has knife-directing openings with the opposed walls of the template. Accordingly, prior art efforts have been directed to providing extrinsic mechanical components for bringing about a positive engagement of the fish with such components as distinguished from the concept of effectively utilizing anatomical features of the fish for inter-relationship with the retention device whereby a considerably simplified structure may be effective.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a device for retaining a fish firmly in position for filleting or steaking, which is devoid of the incorporation of extrinsic fish gripping elements.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus of the type stated which may be integrally formed from a single material of concentration and is devoid of any moving or otherwise mechanically operable elements so that the same may be economically produced upon a high volume basis.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus of the type stated which may be reliably and efficiently utilized by the average unskilled individual so that instructions in operational usage are unnecessary and with such devices having an absence of any components which through accident might be potentially harmful to the user.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a device of the character stated which may be designed for accommodating fish of any preselected size.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a device of the character stated which is of integral formation so as to be resistant to breakage and, hence, ammenable to long, hard wear.